ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION
For this assignment, you will write a rhetorical analysis, a thesis-driven essay in which you describe and evaluate a text’s
rhetorical strategies. The text you will analyze for this assignment will be a TED talk. (You must choose from the list
of TED talks on page 3 of this assignment sheet.)
STRUCTURE
Your rhetorical analysis will need:
• A short, neutral summary of the text: (@150-200 words)
• A thesis that argues the most important rhetorical features of the text and their effects: (@25-40 words)
• Several paragraphs that each include a topic sentence that introduces a rhetorical feature, evidence from the text,
and an explanation of how the feature does or does not help achieve the author’s purpose: (@650-750 words)
• An evaluation the effectiveness of the argument. Remember, that you are evaluating the construction and
delivery of the argument not the subject matter itself. (@250-300 words)ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION
For this assignment, you will write a rhetorical analysis, a thesis-driven essay in which you describe and evaluate a text’s
rhetorical strategies. The text you will analyze for this assignment will be a TED talk. (You must choose from the list
of TED talks on page 3 of this assignment sheet.)
STRUCTURE
Your rhetorical analysis will need:
• A short, neutral summary of the text: (@150-200 words)
• A thesis that argues the most important rhetorical features of the text and their effects: (@25-40 words)
• Several paragraphs that each include a topic sentence that introduces a rhetorical feature, evidence from the text,
and an explanation of how the feature does or does not help achieve the author’s purpose: (@650-750 words)
• An evaluation the effectiveness of the argument. Remember, that you are evaluating the construction and
delivery of the argument not the subject matter itself. (@250-300 words)
